NYT RECOMMENDATION

Westworld

In a futuristic theme park, guests live out their violent and sexual fantasies in an authentic Old West setting. Their android hosts, however, are starting to go off script.

Watch ... for brainy and beautiful science fiction that breaks humanity down to its component parts. Michael Crichton’s original 1973 film was like a warm-up for “Jurassic Park,” a cautionary tale about reviving extinct worlds and technology run amok. For the HBO series, creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy expand “Westworld” to give the androids a sense of self-awareness, which deepens the connection between these synthetic beings and the humans whose aspirations and flaws they embody. Nolan and J.J. Abrams, one of the show’s executive producers, were responsible for “Memento” and “Lost,” respectively, and the show combines some of the best qualities of each, hard-wiring a philosophical thriller about the human mind to a puzzle that welcomes endless speculation.

Skip ... if you prefer to be more casually invested in a show. “Westworld” expects maximum attentiveness on the part of the viewer and even then, the interaction between the hosts, the guests, and the technicians can seem forbiddingly dense. And although the park offers its clients adventure, the show isn’t eager to show you a good time.

How To Watch It

Watch from the beginning, with minimal distraction. Missing a week — or even a stray 10 or 15 minutes — will have you scrambling to put all the pieces together.